From New York Times journalist and syndicated comic strip creator Matt Richtel, HOOKED is a visionary thriller for the digital era–and a novel about life, love, and high-tech intrigue on the Left Coast.
When medical journalist Nat Idle narrowly survives an explosion in an Internet café after receiving a mysterious note warning him to leave immediately, he becomes enmeshed in the most dangerous assignment of his life. Nat believes that the handwriting on the lifesaving note belongs to his deceased girlfriend, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist he has been obsessively mourning, and so begins a fevered quest to solve the mystery of his lost love. The journey forces him to confront the underbelly of the digital revolution and question his own sanity.
 
Matt Richtel’s first novel will leave you hooked at the end of every chapter. His thriller about love and other addictions is itself a compulsive reading experience, fueled by adrenaline and suspense and influenced by the pace and attitude of the Internet. It is a tour de force of romance and deception, and a haunting commentary on the impact new addictions are having on our lives.